Why Most Anxiety Fixes Don't Work

Anxiety and OCD affect millions worldwide, with countless solutions, “fixes,” and treatments advertised daily. Yet, if you’ve tried supplement after supplement or followed popular advice to “get rid” of anxiety, chances are you still haven’t found lasting relief. Why is that?

Understanding the real issue with “fixes” for anxiety

Most solutions treat anxiety like a disease — but it isn’t

The first and biggest mistake a lot of treatments make is positioning anxiety (and by extension, fear) as a disease to be eliminated. But as Matt explains, anxiety is a feeling—something all humans experience. It’s not a sickness or a sign that something is inherently wrong with you.

Matt says,

“…anxiety at the end of the day is a feeling that we have as humans and feelings are normal. And I’m going to go as far to say fear and anxiety are normal.”

So when products or advice promise to “cure” anxiety, they come from an underlying assumption that feeling anxious is itself the core problem.

Resistance is the real obstacle

This misunderstanding leads directly to resistance—using solutions to try and banish the feeling of anxiety. And as Matt highlights, resistance is the main reason people get caught in the anxiety loop.

“…most of these options and fixes and products and solutions are rooted in the idea of resisting anxiety. And because of that… it paradoxically usually just makes it worse or you become dependent on it.”

Using quick fixes (like special teas, supplements, or hacks) may mask symptoms for a moment, but the feeling always comes back. Then you need another fix, falling into dependency without ever breaking free.

The vicious loop of suppression

What really happens is that treating anxiety as a disease and constantly resisting it can actually deepen the problem. Instead of feeling your anxiety, you fight it—creating a loop where anxiety becomes bigger and more disruptive over time.

“One [way of thinking] is positioning this idea that the feeling itself is the problem and we want to get rid of the feeling and we want to change it. So even anything you’re using to try to get rid of the feeling is already done from resistance.”

So, what actually works to break the anxiety loop?

Acceptance is the key

Matt’s approach at Restored Minds is different. Rather than resisting anxiety, the answer is learning to accept and allow your feelings. Let the emotion surface and run its course, instead of suppressing or fighting it.

“Teaching you how to actually develop a state of non-resistance, to be more accepting, to be more allowing, to actually allow the feeling to surface and to be felt and to run its course actually allows it to pass, which allows you to shift into higher energy states.”

Shift the focus: it’s not about getting rid of the feeling

It’s important to realize that it’s not the anxiety itself that traps you, but your resistance to it. The only way out of the loop is to stop resisting and start responding to your emotions in a healthier, more open way.

“What creates an anxiety disorder is when we get stuck in that state. And the reason we get stuck in the state is because of our resistance to the experience, not from the experience itself.”

Practical steps for breaking free from anxiety

• Recognize anxiety is normal — you’re not broken or “sick” for having anxious feelings.
• Notice resistance — instead of jumping to the next quick fix, notice when you’re trying to escape, suppress, or get rid of the feeling.
• Practice allowing — when anxiety surfaces, allow yourself to feel it without judgment. It will rise and fall like any other feeling.

Final thoughts

You can’t eliminate anxiety from the human experience—but you can stop being trapped by it. The real path out isn’t found in resisting, suppressing, or endlessly searching for the next “fix.” Instead, it’s about acceptance, self-awareness, and allowing your feelings to pass.